He put the plastic bags on the table and sat on the sofa like he owned the place. The atmosphere turned tense and so did I. “D-Do you want something to drink?” I tried having eye contact with him but didn’t last long. “Cold water will do.” I nodded and hurried to the kitchen. When I returned I saw him sitting comfortably with his feet on the round table, arms on his head, and eyes closed. “Do you usually serve water with a bowl?” he said with eyes still closed. My brow rose because of what he said. I looked down and d*mn I was holding a bowl of water. I rushed back to the kitchen and brought him what he requested. “Seat beside me, Serra.” His eyes were still closed. My lips twisted because of his statement. “Chill... I don’t bite.” He opened his eyes and looked directly at me. I covered my neck with my arms. “You already did! Not once but twice!” He chuckled and beckoned me. “Come here.” I approached him with an alert stance and sharp eyes. He shook his head and brought two bo
SERRA “Go, Serra! Go, Serra!” Gugu raised her pompoms one after the other. “Give me an S - E - R - R - A!” She twisted her body to form each letter of my name, literally. If I don’t know her and saw her doing that I would one hundred percent freak out. She could replace Kayako in the movie and even do better. “S - E - R - R - A! S - E - R - R - A!” She clapped her hands while blurting out each letter. “Let’s take a break!” I slammed my butt on the concrete ground of the gymnasium when I reached the end of the stairs. “I’ll tell you when.” He stuffed his mouth with chips. “One more from the bottom!” He went down the gym’s stairs fast. I dragged my sore body and lazily went down the stairs. We’ve been doing this for a week now and it’s seeping the energy out of me. “Double time!” He clapped his hands and I speed up. “Attention!” he commanded. I firmly stood straight with chin up, chest out, shoulders back, and stomach in just like what he taught me a while ago before we started. “
“Where’s Amanda?” Amara asked as soon as I reached the table. “Her dad called her over. She was fetched by Mr. Garzon.” I sat on one of the available chairs. Six chairs were surrounding the round table. Beside me was a vacant chair and the other was occupied by Gugu. Next to Gugu was Amara then Grip and Victoria. Amara kept on glancing in Gugu’s direction. Victoria was all smiley while still holding on Grip’s arm and leaning, squeezing, herself to him. The latter remained expressionless. “Thank goodness! I really don’t like her.” Victoria’s nose bridge wrinkled. I could hear Amanda responding ‘Feelings mutual, Victoria.’ she would probably say that if she heard her. “Table thirteen,” the computer’s voice called. I looked at our table number and it was thirteen. “I’ll go get our orders.” Grip stood up but Victoria didn’t let him go. “Why don’t you get it, Serra? We ordered you get it. You know give and take.” She shrugged and sweetly smiled at me. “We ordered? I ordered,” Amara
“Are you avoiding me?” “D*mn!” I clutched my chest when Grip suddenly appeared right in front of me. “Jeez! What’s wrong with you?” I inclined my back inching myself away. “No, what’s wrong with you?” He returned the question to me. “Why are avoiding me?” he added. “I am going to be late for my next class–” “We don’t have a class after this.” He walked beside me. I pushed him away. “We’re not classmates.” “We are, starting tomorrow. I just got my new schedule.” He walked beside me again. Every step and pace coincided with mine. “Why are you doing this?” I faced him and brought the back of my hands on the opposite sides of my waist. He put his hands on his pocket and leaned over my face. I drew my head backward but he only stopped an inch away. “It’s my way of fencing you.” He winked and raffled my hair. I hit his hand and fixed my already messy hair. “Stop this nonsense right away, Grip.” “Liking you will never be nonsense,” he confessed frankly. His words were like scissor
He closed his eyes and leaned forward. My eyes grew big when his lips lightly touched mine. I froze. Something like this happened already. My brain couldn’t remember but my lips did. It was also light and soft but the warmth it gave me was different. My eyes inevitably closed. “Whatever it is do it now!” Gugu’s voice sounded in my ears. “It’s forbidden– d*mn!” Light pressures pressed on the sides of my head and softness and warmth touched my lips. I opened my eyes and saw Grip. Grip kissed me?! A scream from the rooftop brought me up on my feet and my awareness back to the present. I ran as fast as I could. Bumping and pushing Xyrus’ friends. I quickly pushed the rooftop’s door wide open and rushed in. There were groups of girls from freshmen to the highest year level. They were students from different departments. I even saw some from our department. “Welcome to hell, witch,” a girl with flaming red hair said after removing a red lollipop out of her mouth. Two girls closed t
SERRA“I saw what happened. I was on the fifth floor at that time. I was confused when he just stood there for a long time as if he was waiting for something and all of a sudden a body fell. He grabbed Serra’s arm with one hand and pulled her over the baluster,” a girl from the next table told her friends and they all squealed giddily.I am currently in the library trying to get some sleep with an open book standing in front of me to hide my face. I couldn’t nod off because of these annoying beez on the nearby table. They got the guts to make some noise because the terror librarian wasn’t here.“He’s cool!”“Cupid just hit my heart twice...”“I’m in love...”“I hate what happened next.” She let out each word with emphasis and made everyone on their side quiet. “Serra the witch landed on top of him. She acted weak and frightened like a scaredy-cat to lure our Grey. And poof he fell in her trap and hugged her. Serra turned in my direction with an evil grin and eyes black as midnight,” s
“Let’s have a group study, b*tches!” Amanda suggested. “We need that. Midterms is coming...” Amara’s face turned sullen as if her number in a lottery won but she forgot to place her bet. “I need help with calculus,” Mandy presented. “Mine in differential equations,” Kate expressed. “I need help in all subjects.” Lulu gently smashed her face on the table. “Me too...” Amara seconded Lulu. “I really don’t know why I chose to suffer. I don’t know why I chose civil engineering,” she added and imitated Lulu’s position. “I need help too–” Amanda received death glares. “What?” She chuckled. “Coming from you?” Mandy taunted rolling her eyes. “Yeah... you’re one of the top ten in our batch,” Kate commented. “What? Intelligent people struggle too.” Amanda amassed another bunch of sharp stares. “If stares could kill, I would be dead right now. Quit staring!” She glared back at them. “You won’t win! It’s the four of us against you!” Mandy narrowed her eyes more. Here comes another glarin
“Gugu, have you seen Grip?” I put my books in my bag and swung it over my shoulder. “You missed him already?” Gugu wiggled her brows at me. I rolled my eyes and went toward the door. Amanda was still asleep and I don’t want to wake her because she looked so tired from all the shoots her dad made her do. Her face is in every corner of Silverio plastered on huge bulletin boards endorsing perfumes, jewelry, branded apparel, shoes, and a lot more. What she failed to endorse were the number one shampoo, and soap brand in VeM. “Let’s go, Gugu.” I opened the door and there was Grip standing holding a bouquet. “You missed me huh?” He bit his bottom lip suppressing his smile. “For you.” He gave me the flower and gave me a quick kiss on the lips. I lowered my face to hide the stretching of the corner of my lips. I closed my eyes and brought the flowers to my nose. It has a peachy-citrus scent. I looked closer, it was a bunch of double apricot-pink yellow roses. My eyes widened in amusement